Fishing at Morgan Lake, Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  Morgan Lake belongs to Oakland County, Michigan. Height above sea level is 958 feet. It covers about 16 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. You are 3.5 miles from Waterford. Then Pontiac, 4.7 miles, and Clarkston, 4.8 miles. Also worth knowing: Mohawk Lake at 0.3 miles, Wormer Lake some 0.4 miles off, Schoolhouse Lake at 0.7 miles, Lake Angelus some 1 mile off and Lake Oakland at 1.1 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Morgan Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Oakland County: bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Morgan Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 22°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. The season between ice runs from about late March to mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Morgan Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. Expect 0.9 miles away in from where the car goes. Mapping shows a jetty some 70 yards off. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Mohawk Lake, 0.3 miles out. Ask locally about Morgan Lake if anything is unclear.